All around the world this week, people celebrated the final days before Lent, a 40-day fast that is typically associated with Catholicism. National Geographic News featured these photos on their website today and I would like to share them with all of you. Compare these photos with the ones featured on the guest blog about Mardi Gras celebrations here in the United States. Enjoy!
February 23, 2009–Above, a dancer fearlessly performs atop an intimidating float during Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday.
–Photograph by Natacha Pisarenko/AP
February 22, 2009–Clouds of fire emanate from the mouth of a performer in Barranquilla, Colombia, on Sunday.
The city’s version of Carnival was declared a “Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO in 2003, which means the international organization urges protection of the event as a cultural treasure.
–Photograph by Fernando Vergara/AP
February 20, 2009–Llamas are often sacrificed for Carnival in Bolivian mining cities to thank Mother Earth for the past year’s bounty and seek her blessing for the coming months.
Above, a miner with a knife approaches an unlucky, ribbon-bedecked beast in Oruro.
–Photograph by Dado Galdieri/AP
February 21, 2009–In Parati, Brazil, revelers party in the mud as part of their Mardi Gras festival, called Bloco de Lama, or “mud block.”
–Photograph by Natacha Pisarenko/AP
These photos are pretty sweet; view the rest of the Mardi Gras collection at National Geographic News. Make sure to also check out this interactive map from our friends over at Intelligent Travel.
How many of you celebrated Mardi Gras this year? Are any of you giving anything up for Lent? I was thinking of giving up the internet, but then I remembered that as long as I have this job, I must use the internet. So heres to not giving that up at least.
Cameron for My Wonderful World
These photographs are just amazing; I have no words for the clouds of fire. I have seen this kind of could in real but not like that. There is no comparison of these photographs with the real one I have seen.
Jake- Those guys sure have some ‘chair skillz’. I think it was probably colder here in D.C. than in Vail. Thanks for the video! — Cameron for My Wonderful World
Unseasonably warm weather in Vail, CO made outdoor Mardi Gras celebrations all the rage. We had a parade that was capped off by this unique group of performers…
Your Carnival video is great! Love you blog, what a great idea it is to travel the world! There are so many wonderful things to discover and see on this planet. — Cameron for My Wonderful World
Wow, great pictures! We love Carnaval here in our little 15th century village in Spain. They have a big parade all through our village that is quite elaborate considering there are only about 1000 people who live here. They really get into it and everyone participates!
Here is a Youtube link to last years festival!
How can you not love Carnival?